Brexit Bulletin: Important information on the Northern Ireland Trader Support Service
Trader Support Service
On 21 December 2020 the Trader Support Service (TSS) process was finally clarified by HM Government for shipments GB to Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021.
The TSS service enables traders to ship to Northern Ireland ONLY if they have registered online.
This registration means that all imports to Northern Ireland can be customs/ safety & security declared by shippers in a simplified way; then administered by our partners to enable deliveries to continue.
In the event of a false TSS registration number being declared, or unregistered EORI numbers being used, this will result in a complete trailer despatch being rejected, after the trailer manifest has been submitted to TSS. That rejection will result in the return or re-loading of a trailer already en- route to Belfast.
As the system has only been clarified and made live at the last minute by the UK Government, the screens we have set up in Alliance for Northern Ireland are presently the SAME as those for EU shipments.
As traders will need to do a full declaration in due course to HMRC, the additional information required for EU shipments will still be invaluable to them. A new modified booking screen for Northern Ireland will be developed, but in the meantime the additional TSS registration number and the additional XI EORI number of the shipper + GB EORI number of the consignee must be added to the new Alliance consignment entry notes field on each shipment.
Urgent Action Required by Palletforce Members
1. Shippers to Northern Ireland need to register as a trusted trader on the TSS system (this should only take a few minutes). www.tradersupportservice.co.uk
2. Shippers will need a GB EORI. If they do not have this they can register now on www.gov.uk/eori. Once they have a GB EORI they will also be issued with an XI EORI, which they can apply for on the same web page. In addition, the shipper will also need to state the GB EORI and the XI EORI of the Northern Ireland consignee (if they are responsible for the importation costs) when they complete declarations to move goods between GB and NI.
3. Shipper needs to confirm to you:
i. They have registered on the TSS and what their TSS registration number is.
ii. They now have a GB and XI EORI number and advise you what they are.
iii. If they have a standard description of their goods what is it (eg clothes/ packaging/light machinery etc)?
iv. If they have any ‘controlled goods’ or goods of animal origin (eg goods of animal origin like eggs and controlled goods such as chemicals) as Palletforce is presently unable to accept such shipments.
v. They understand that every shipment needs to carry the TSS registration number, the two shipper EORI numbers (GB and XI) and the Northern Ireland consignee’s GB EORI number. We would also LIKE the Northern Ireland consignee XI EORI but recognise it might not always be possible, as where the shipper is responsible for all import costs as well as export costs it’s not necessary for the consignee to register on the TSS.
4. Goods transported from GB to NI will use the TSS simplified declaration procedure which our partner will do on behalf of your shipper. After delivery of their consignment, the TSS will contact the shipper to ask them to submit information to complete the supplementary declaration ‘import declaration’ by the 4th of the following month.
It is vitally important that the shippers who use our service to Northern Ireland complete their TSS registration as soon as possible so we can carry their shipments without delay.
The administration process for the import declaration is much more simplified compared to a full EU declaration.
If you would like any further information regarding this matter please contact our Brexit Support team brexit@ccfreight.com
